Socket switch

Abstract

An electric power socket ( 15 a ) for receiving an electric plug ( 80 ) having a plurality of axially parallel plug pins ( 86 ), the power socket including: (a) a rear portion ( 60 ) housing a set of electrical connections 88 for making electrical contact with the corresponding plug pins ( 86 ); (b) a fixed portion 40 including α set of guides ( 42 ) for reception of the corresponding plug pins; (c) an axially fixed rotatable body 20 retained in a circular cavity ( 16 ), biased to an electrically inactive position and rotatable R through an extent of travel to an active position, the rotatable body including a front wall ( 30 ) through which extends a corresponding set of apertures ( 24 ) to receive the plug pins; and (d) a detent ( 46, 50 ) for cooperating with at least a first one of the plug pins in the active position and to resist rotation of the rotatable body toward the inactive position, wherein: (i) each aperture remains in registration with a corresponding one of the guides ( 42 ) through the extent of travel; and (ii) the rotatable body returns under bias to the inactive position if the plug pins are withdrawn from the power socket.

1 . An electric power socket for receiving an electric plug having a plurality of axially parallel pins, said electric power socket including:
 a rear portion housing a set of electrical connections for making electrical contact with the corresponding plug pins;   a fixed portion including a set of guides for reception of said corresponding plug pins;   an axially fixed rotatable body retained in a circular cavity, biased to an electrically inactive position and rotatable through an extent of travel from an inactive position to an active position, said rotatable body including a front panel through which extends a corresponding set of apertures to receive said plug pins, said rotatable body including a front panel; and   a detent for cooperating with at least a first one of said plug pins in said active position and to resist rotation of said rotatable body toward said inactive position,   
       wherein:
 each said aperture remains in registration with a corresponding one of the guides through said extent of travel; 
 as the plug pins are rotated through the extent of travel, a radial wall of at least one of the guides applies a lateral force to bear against at least one of the plug pins to distort the plug pin out of its axial alignment that it has at rest in the inactive position; and 
 said rotatable body returns under bias to said inactive position if said plug pins are withdrawn from said power socket. 
 
     
     
         2 . A power socket according to  claim 1 , wherein the electric plug casing operates as a handle or knob which may be manipulated in the manner of a switch to rotate said rotatable body by said electric plug to connect said plug pins to electric power. 
     
     
         3 . A power socket according to  claim 1 , wherein said guides are in the form of contoured slots along which the respective said plug pins move through said extent of travel. 
     
     
         4 . A power socket according to  claim 1 , wherein as said plug pins are rotated through said extent of travel, the lateral force applied by the at least one guide against the at least one plug pin forces the plug pin into a frictionally locked position in the active position. 
     
     
         5 . A power socket according to  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of plug pins includes an active pin and a neutral pin. 
     
     
         6 . A power socket according to  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of plug pins includes an active pin, a neutral pin and an earth pin, 
     
     
         7 . A power socket according to  claim 6 , wherein at least one of said plug pins is in the shape of a blade having a plane aligned radially relative to the rotatable body's axis. 
     
     
         8 . A power socket according to  claim 1 , wherein said detent is secured to the fixed portion and comprises a resiliently deflectable arm. 
     
     
         9 . A power socket according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the active position, said detent bears against the first plug pin whereby to frictionally trap said first plug pin against a wall of the corresponding guide. 
     
     
         10 . A power socket according to  claim 1 , wherein said guides are crimps and said fixed portion is a crimp housing. 
     
     
         11 . A power socket according to  claim 1 , wherein said fixed portion and said rotatable body are each shaped as a cylindrical disc. 
     
     
         12 . A power socket according to  claim 11 , wherein said rotatable body is aligned coaxially with said fixed portion and has substantially the same diameter. 
     
     
         13 . A power socket according to  claim 1 , wherein said bias is obtained by a spiral spring that lies in a plane coplanar with the facing internal surfaces of said rotatable body and said fixed portion and said spring is centrally mounted on said rotatable body or said fixed portion. 
     
     
         14 . A power socket according to  claim 14 , wherein said spring is mounted on said rotatable body and said fixed portion includes a spring catch against which said spring bears. 
     
     
         15 . A method for activating an electric power socket for receiving an electric plug having a plurality of axially parallel pins, the method including the following steps:
 housing a set of electrical connections for making electrical contact with the corresponding plug pins in a rear portion of a casing of the electric power socket;   including a set of guides for reception of the corresponding plug pins in a fixed portion in the casing;   retaining an axially fixed rotatable body in a circular cavity in the casing;   biasing the rotatable body to an electrically inactive position, the rotatable body including a front panel through which extends a corresponding set of apertures to receive the plug pins;   inserting the electric plug into the rotatable body so that the plug pins extend through to the fixed portion; and   rotating the electric plug and therefore the rotatable body through an extent of travel from the inactive position to an active position until at least a first one of the plug pins cooperates with a detent in the active position that resists rotation of the rotatable body toward the inactive position,   
       wherein:
 each the aperture remains in registration with a corresponding one of the guides through the extent of travel; 
 as the plug pins are rotated through the extent of travel, a radial wall of at least one of the guides applies a lateral force to bear against at least one of the plug pins to distort the plug pin out of its axial alignment that it has at rest in the inactive position; and 
 the rotatable body returns under bias to the inactive position if the plug pins are withdrawn from the power socket.